Lingerie as High Fashion

You know by now that we love spotting lingerie in high-fashion photo shoots. We were thrilled to find our favorite model, Claudia Schiffer, featured in a shoot for German Vogue by Mario Testino.
In this spread Claudia models lingerie looks from Fifi Chachnil (of course), lingerie line Nuits de Satin, Chantal Thomass, and Dior.
It's a mixture of pin-up and naughty girl (but we're only featuring photos that show lingerie). We just wanted to share how the right combination of lingerie creates something classy, eye-catching and beautiful.

"Sex & The City" features...

With news of the "Sex & the City" movie buzzing all around us, we were eager to see where "The Lake & Stars" romper would show up...and we found a picture of it on imdb!
As you can see, Carrie is wearing the romper...notice how she layers it with a bra/bandeau to make it work as outerwear?
We miss having such a style-savvy show on TV...thank goodness for repeats!

Copa, Copacabana...

We wanted to let you know that we've re-stocked Faire Frou Frou with new pieces from Belabumbum.
Belabumbum (pronounced 'bella boom boom) is portuguese for "beautiful bottom", and you know that's a perfect name considering how amazing the Copa Boycut Panty makes you look!
This longtime favorite brand (founded in 2001) features innovative cuts and fabrics, imported from Brazil, that accentuate female curves in new ways.
We're just starting to add the new pieces to our online boutique, starting with the Copacabana group. These pieces are all about figure-flattering shapes, and incredible comfort.
Slip into these intimates and channel your inner 'Girl from Ipanema' (you know the bossa nova song...about the sexy girl on the Brazilian beach).

Caring for Your Delicates

Rachel Bilson in Chantal Thomass by Ellen von Unwerth

You've invested quite a bit into your beautiful lingerie collection, and you want to make sure it stays fresh and lovely for years to come. With the proper care, your lingerie collection can remain in gorgeous condition.
We prepared a list of what you should (and should not) do in order to properly clean your delicates. In this post we focus on caring for Silk lingerie...

• Unless an item says “Dry Clean ONLY”, you are able to wash the item yourself (typically a lukewarm hand wash).

• There are a lot of delicate laundry washes available. Probably the best out there is Woolite, and there are other fragrance options available from brands such as Tocca, Eberjey, Hanky Panky, Soak, etc. You can even use colorless or baby shampoo as a wash - that was first recommended to us by an associate at Carine Gilson's boutique!

• NEVER put your lingerie in the dryer as it damages the item’s elasticity.

• Hand-washing silk will rejuvenate and refreshen the fabric each time you do so. This is one of the many rewarding qualities of silk lingerie. Although it may not be a good idea to wash your silk lingerie too much, it is a good idea to wash it at the first sign of a stain or spill.

• While silk is a very strong fabric, it is delicate when wet so care must be taken with hand washable garments. Using a mild soap, silk wash or colorless shampoo (never detergents or bleach as they will "strip" the finish), soak the garment in lukewarm water for five minutes. Move it about gently, do not wring or twist. Rinse well in cool water to which a teaspoon of vinegar may be added to remove all traces of soap. Roll in a towel to absorb excess moisture and lay flat, straightening out seams. Iron while slightly damp on warm setting. Tailored silk garments such as robes and pajamas require careful pressing in order to maintain their look and dry cleaning is highly recommended. (via Patricia Fieldwalker)

• Styles that can be ironed "flat", such as collarless pajamas and gowns can be hand washed and pressed on the wrong side with a warm iron. If you must wash dark colored or printed silks, wash very quickly in cold water and mild soap. Move continuously and do not soak or colors may run into one another. Rinse with cold water and a little vinegar and lay flat to dry with a towel between layers to avoid colors bleeding into each other. (via Patricia Fieldwalker)

• Like most natural fabrics, silk wrinkles! Run a tub of hot water in your bathroom and hang the garment for an hour or so to eliminate the worst creases. Smooth finish silks like charmeuse, look fresher if pressed with a warm iron rather than steamed. (via Patricia Fieldwalker)

• What NOT To Do:
• Never expose silk lingerie articles to strong direct sunlight. Silk lingerie will fade.
• Never spray perfume or deodorant on silk lingerie
• Never soak silk lingerie in water for a long time.
• Never try to clean a "spot" or soiled area with water.
• Water leaves a ring around the wetted area that even Dry-cleaning may not remove.

Lace Lessons

model Louise Pedersen

When we mention brands like Carine Gilson and ID Sarrieri, usually it follows with a description of a product that has handmade lace or lace that is hand-stitched. It wasn't until recently, with the prompting of one of our very good customers, that we began to wonder exactly what goes into creating a 'handmade lace' as opposed to the lace we see on less expensive products that are mass produced (say, for instance, the lace we see at one of those chain lingerie stores in the mall). Is lace actually handmade?
We know that Chantilly lace (or any handmade lace) makes a product considerably more costly to produce and sell, and we figure it must be a labor-intensive process to create it, but we wanted to learn the nitty gritty details of the process.

After doing a bit of research (and coming across too many listings about the Big Bopper hit of the same name), we found some interesting details. For instance, 80% of the lace used for fine lingerie is likely made in the French town of Calais or Caudry. In Calais, there are about 700 looms employing 3,000 workers. The two town's lace factories export about 3/4 of their output to 140 countries (Source: www.theotherside.co.uk).

courtesy of www.thelacemuseum.org

Rather than just re-post what's already been written, we suggest that you check out the following sites for some incredible information about the history of lace, and the art of making lace by hand:
http://www.slowtrav.com/france/notes/mellen_lace.htm
http://www.theotherside.co.uk/tm-heritage/background/lace.htm#louis14

Because handmade lace is produced with infinite care and a great amount of time, it will always be expensive. Brands such as Carine Gilson create exclusive lace patterns for their products, which makes the lingerie that much more valuable. There are many different grades of these laces that vary in value according to the fineness of their structure. This variance provides a variety of price ranges to chose from when buying a product with lace detailing, and therefore explains why one lace-trim bra can cost $300 and another can be $90. example of Carine Gilson's lace; all of which is handmade and hand-stitched

May New Arrivals - ID Sarrieri

The beauty of ID Sarrieri never ceases to amaze us. The latest collection, referred to as the F7900 group, has a boring name but makes up for it in its eye-catching and sophisticated designs. On our website we refer to this collection online as 'Gray/Lilac Lace' and we currently stock the Triangle Bra, Underwire Bra, Retro Brief and Lace Thong.
The attention to detail on these pieces is stunning. Each item has a barely-there nude mesh base, and over that is a soft gray mesh with Chantilly lace cut-out detailing in a dusty lilac. Each piece has a lilac silk trim that adds that extra polish and a dash of style. Our favorite piece is the Triangle Lace Bra with the wide silk band - just gorgeous!
This collection is truly for those lingerie lovers out there who appreciate beautiful details.
Keep in mind that the photos on the model show only the gray/silver pieces...we only stocked the Gray/Lilac pieces shown on the mannequin photos.

New Exclusive from Undrest!

We are so happy to share the cutest pair of panties with you! These are the new Undrest Brazilian Panties, made exclusively for Faire Frou Frou!
Undrest's designer, Maria Paz Navales, took one of our favorite color combinations of pink & cream and created this 100% supima cotton brazilian panty with a cream grosgrain ruffle trim.
Style and comfort merge seamlessly with this beautiful new product.
Now wouldn't this make such a nice Mother's Day gift?? We thought so too!
Thank you Maria!

P.S. - If you want to see more exclusive collections by Undrest for Faire Frou Frou, check out the Marissa Babydoll, Girl Short and Sofia Robe in frou-frou Pink (with black trim) .

Mother's Day Dedication

photo by Alison R. with roses from my backyard!

As most of you know, Faire Frou Frou is owned by my mom and I, and together we maintain our boutique, online store and blog. However today's post is my opportunity to write a small dedication to my mom, given that Mother's Day is just around the corner.

Mother's Day is a great opportunity to say 'thank you', and I would like to do just that. This is a thank you to my mom for encouraging me to follow my dreams, for always lending an ear even when she's tired or busy, and for consistently providing support and the right words when I needed it. For those of you who know her, you will agree that she is generous (to a fault!), loyal, creative and young-at-heart. You also know that my mom is my #1 supporter (and yes, she likes to brag about her only daughter!).

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, MOM!

photo courtesy of Robert Evans Studio

Bring It Up - Instant Breast Lifts

About a week or so ago we posted about our new Smooth & Lift nipple covers, and now we are pleased to let you know about the Bring It Up - Instant Breast Lifts!
We can't tell you how many customers are looking for something just like this - basically, you need this product when you're wearing a halter-style top, or a low-cut top, a backless top, a swimsuit, or a strapless top.
As you can see in the instructional video, the Bring It Up Lifts are applied to the top of the breast and not underneath. They are invisible, waterproof, hypoallergenic adhesive and provide full support without a bra; up to a size D cup!
For larger cup size women over a size D they can be worn with a bra for added support.
This is a great product, and incredibly well-priced at $11 per package (each package contains 3 pairs of lifts, intended for one-time use).
If you're looking for a product that will smooth & cover your nipples, then use the Bring It Up - Smooth & Lift covers.
For more Fashion Forms products, visit our website!

Bridal Gift Registry

We continue to receive a lot of phone calls about whether we offer a Bridal Registry service, and we certainly do!
You can come into our boutique and fill out your registry, and there are options for those of you who want to register items that you see online (we are working on a registry for our new website being launched in late Spring). Just give us a call (818-783-4970) or send us an email, and we are happy to help you out!

Lingerie becomes High Fashion

It seems like whenever we see the work of Patrick Demarchelier, we spot some beautiful lingerie. In the current UK Vogue, we spotted a special-edition Damaris bra, and then a lovely Bottega Veneta corset. With a little creativity, and the right brands, you can create a high-fashion lingerie ensemble. Also of note, thigh high stockings pretty much add an incredible element to any lingerie look. It looks like we have some high-waisted panties there too...

Fifi Chachnil du jour

actress Eva Green by Ellen von Unwerth

We were helping a customer with a vintage photo shoot today and naturally started pulling some of our Fifi Chachnil pieces for a perfect ensemble. One piece that we are loving is the Fifi Chachnil 'A Fleur de Peau' Slip Dress. This little slip is so darn cute and fits like a dream! It has detachable garter hooks, so you can wear it as a slip with your vintage stockings, or you can remove the garter hooks so you can wear as a top.
Here's a little Fifi Chachnil inspiration for you...

Mother's Day Gift Guide

Jessie Wilcox Smith - "Sweet and Low"

Mother's Day is just around the corner, and we have some terrific gift-buying suggestions for you!
Probably one of our most popular gifts so far has been the Undrest Sofia Robe (thanks to Daily Candy!), and really, anything by Undrest can work well as a gift. The prices range from $38 to $110, so there's something for every budget.
For an even more budget-friendly gift, we suggest the kai lotion or candle. Prices for kai products range from $22 to $45, and it's a fragrance that almost everyone loves! We suggest a kai product paired with a beautiful bouquet of peonies!
If you have a bit more to spend on mom, within the $150-$200 range, then we have some really cute tunics from Mimi Holliday, and the new arrivals from loungewear designer Dessous.
Now for those of you who really want to impress with a bigger budget item, every mom (or woman for that matter) appreciates jewelry! We suggest the new collection from Safia, which features multi-strand jewelry with semi-precious stone pendants. These necklaces range in price from $315 to $850, and is a great gift for a husband to buy for his wife!
Of course, you can always let mom find the perfect Faire Frou Frou item for herself with one of our gift certificates...

Though most of you have been doing this already, please mention 'Mother's Day' in the comments section of your online order, and we will provide a beautiful complimentary gift-wrap for your gift!

Most of the Christine Vancouver collections that we have carried have been silk/lace trim combinations. This time we received a group that is very new, and quite different; the Trellis collection. We recently received the Trellis Babydoll top and Shorts (as shown in this picture), and they are breezy, light pieces that make the perfect set for those hot summer nights! Made from embroidered 100% silk, these pieces are very feminine and quite sexy. We notice that Christine Vancouver items tend to run on the large side, so no worries about feeling restricted or uncomfortable while lounging.

The babydoll top can also be worn as outerwear - just layer it over a neutral cami and you're set!
Note that the Trellis pieces are not currently available online; just at our Studio City boutique. If interested, please email us.

Dessous by Sophie Simmons - Spring Collection

Now that the weather is heating up, it's the perfect time of year to wear your loungewear as outerwear! That's what we did today, wearing our oh-so-cute Dessous 'chloe' dress (shown here in the last picture in periwinkle).
Dessous, by Sophie Simmons, is one of those great innerwear as outerwear collections that's almost too cute not to wear out. We received a few new pieces for the Spring '08 group, and we are loving the pretty periwinkle color. Each of the pieces has a delicate silk lace applique detailing that creates the signature Dessous look.
All items are made in the USA, and all silk trims are 100% silk.
P.S. - We'd like to give a special thank you to designer Sophie Simmons for the one-of-a-kind sample that she gifted to us - we couldn't be happier!

Daily Candy post!

We were so pleased to receive another mention on Daily Candy, and this time it is for their Mother's Day shopping guide. They chose exactly what we would recommend for a perfect Mother's Day gift; the Undrest Sofia Robe!
Undrest is the perfect line for moms young & old - it's comfy, stylish, sweet and feminine! Almost every customer who comes in our boutique and feels the softness of the Undrest pima cotton is immediately hooked! It really is that wonderful!

Douce Collection from Andres Sarda

We've posted quite a few new items to our online boutique from Andres Sarda.
Andres Sarda is a Barcelona-based lingerie brand that specializes in high-end intimate apparel. The Douce collection features designs made from a combination of polka dot silk and eyelash lace trim.
The two color groups we brought into our boutique include the Ivory/Black dot, and the Creme/Lilac dot.
You have options with this collection, as we have the underwire bra and the molded cup versions, as well as thongs & boyshorts for both colors.